EVALUATION OF THE ACCURACY OF LOCATING/CUTTING GUIDE DESIGN WITH PRE-BENT TITANIUM PLATES AFTER LE FORT 1 OSTEOTOMY IN ORTHOGNATHIC SURGERY

Introduction: Uneven teeth and jaw alignment are the hallmarks of dentofacial disorders, which can affect the head and neck region's morphology and functionality. Aim of this study: evaluate the accuracy of replacing the maxilla following a le fort 1 osteotomy in orthognathic surgery using a locating guide with pre-bent plates.Materials and methods: The present study was done on seven patients treated with locating/cutting guides to relocate the maxilla after Le fort 1 osteotomy in orthognathic surgery. Cone beam computed tomography scans were used for 3D reconstruction (CBCT) and the anticipated maxillary position was compared to the final position after two weeks of surgery. Clinically, surgery duration was measured. A postoperative clinical assessment was executed after one week, two weeks, and 3 months for pain, wound healing, and sensory nerve function. Results: Seven patients were recruited for the study (n=7), 2 males and 5 females. Age ranged from 19 to 28 years with a mean of 22.71 ± 3.86. The mean error of superimposition was found to be 0.66 ± 0.27 mm. The mean of surgery duration was found to be 43.14 ± 3.18 minutes. The mean of pain evaluated by visual analog scale (VAS) was found to decrease from 6.29 ± 1.50 in the first week to 3.14 ± 1.77 in the second week till 0.29 ± 0.49 after 3 months. Conclusion: Using a locating/cutting guide with pre-bent plates is a dependable method of positioning the maxilla in the planned position after a le fort 1 osteotomy.